Outdated real estate postcards have their days numbered…

Outdated real estate postcards have their days numbered…

by Lisa Shaw

With winter coming for 2010 up it’s going to be difficult for many agents to
survive the market altogether. Just this past week many retail stores
reported less than expected profits for September; and they’re
right. Because many households have aired on the side of caution with
the housing crunch outlook and plan to be frugal for coming months,
overall spending will be less than favorable as a whole. However, this
doesn’t mean people have stop buying homes. It just means it’ll take
more to get them…or at least more whit.

But for many agents that choose to market themselves with real
estate postcards that are plagued with recycled messages and weak
visuals; their days at marketing to today’s buyers and sellers are
almost just about up. Why? Because today’s seller and buyers knows the
game and is being persuaded by the “commission debate” to seek out
selling or buying a home them-self. Companies such as Redfin
are helping consumers to see that the market and times are-ah-
changin’. What agents have to do is PROVE their value. And guess what?
Offering a Free Market Analysis or Free Consultation is not going to
cut it these days! They expect a consultation and are being moved daily to refer
to ball-park estimates on Zillow or Trulia (regardless of how far off they are).

Postcard marketing is not dead, however, the old way of just sending
any ol’postcard in the name of having to touch the prospect is absolutely
the wrong way to think about effective marketing. Prospects aren’t
laughing at real estate postcards with animals having talk bubbles with
cheesy saying. It’s no time to be cute! It’s all about being effective.
With the market the way it is, they’re looking for answers.

And what’s better than meeting prospects at their door and offering
to address what is already on their minds; then by sending postcards
that do, in fact, that. Grab they attention and get them to act.